(MENAFN- The Peninsula) joelyn baluyut |
The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: Qatar's tourism sector is anticipated to experience a significant boom in the final quarter of this year, according to a travel and industry expert.
The Director of Sales and Revenue at The Ned Doha, Deep Kumar Sindhi, told The Peninsula that with a flurry of high-profile events lined-up, including the Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix, expo 2023 Doha, both happening in October, and the 2023 Moto GP World Championship in November, among others, the country is expected to attract a multitude of visitors during the last three months of the year.
Sindhi highlighted the increasing demand for accommodations, noting that their hotel is already witnessing Expo 2023 Doha guests opting to stay with them.
He further emphasised that September will mark the beginning of an upswing in demand, followed by robust months in October, November, and December.
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Even December, typically considered a shoulder season, is projected to flourish due to scheduled conferences, forums, and meetings. Sindhi expressed optimism about the future, acknowledging the challenging summer months but looking forward to a brighter outlook.“October, November and December will have very good months, and even December which normally can be a shoulder season can pick as well because there will be conferences in the country.”
Earlier, Qatar Tourism told The Peninsula that residents and visitors in Qatar can look forward to a vibrant calendar of events throughout the year.“At Qatar Tourism, we always have a robust calendar of world-class events year-round,” Qatar Tourism Chief Operating Officer Berthold Trenkel said.
The tourism revenue forecast for Qatar aligns with these expectations. Statista, a German online platform specialised in data gathering and visualisation, projects that the revenue in the Travel and Tourism market will reach an estimated $1,129,000m in 2023. Additionally, a steady annual growth rate of 11.13% (CAGR 2023-2027) is predicted, resulting in a projected market volume of $1,722,000m by 2027. Among the various segments, hotels are anticipated to dominate the market, with an estimated volume of $512.10m in 2023. The Travel and Tourism market encompasses package holidays, hotel stays, private vacation rentals, camping, and cruises.
Data from Qatar Tourism revealed that the country currently offers 38,443 keys, including hotels and apartments. The occupancy rate stands at 55%.
The surge in Qatar's tourist arrivals is evident, as demonstrated by the latest report released by the Planning and Statistics Authority (PSA). In May 2023 alone, over 285,000 visitors arrived, marking a remarkable 72% increase compared to the previous year.
The growth in visitor numbers was significantly driven by arrivals from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, accounting for 37% of the total. Meanwhile, 29% of visitors hailed from Asian countries (including Oceania), followed by 17% from other European countries and 9% from Arab countries.
Among the various types of ports of entry, air travel constituted the largest portion, with 66% of the total number of visitors arriving via air.
With an exciting line-up of events and an increasing influx of tourists, the tourism sector in Qatar is poised for a lucrative last quarter of the year. The surge in visitor numbers, coupled with substantial revenue projections, affirms Qatar's status as a desirable destination for travellers from around the world.
As the country gears up to host the AFC Asian Cup in January, the positive momentum is expected to continue into the first quarter of next year, solidifying Qatar's position as a thriving tourist hub.“Remember next year, the Asian Cup will be happening in January. So October, November, December, January, February, March and until Ramadan, the tourism sector will be booming,” explained Sindhi.